Do you think a schizophrenic patient can live a normal life?
Schizophrenia treatment includes medication, therapy, social and family support, and the use of social services. Treatment must be ongoing, as this is a chronic illness without a cure. When schizophrenia is treated and managed over the long-term, most people can live normal, productive, and fulfilling lives.
People with schizophrenia generally live about 15 to 20 years less than those without the condition. Schizophrenia is a complex disease. There are many ways it can result in serious complications.
A schizophrenic episode can last days or weeks, and in rare cases, months, says Dr. D'Souza. Some people may experience only one or two schizophrenic episodes in their lifetime, whereas for others the episodes may come and go in phases.
Patients may be more aggressive and violent during acute episodes. Schizophrenic patients have less insight, experience greater thought disorder, and have poorer control of their aggressive impulses. Comorbidity with alcohol or other substances of abuse is frequent and complicates the agitation and the impulsivity.
What can you do for a family member with psychosis?
Listen and try to understand.
It can help if your loved one feels able to discuss their feelings and options with someone supportive and calm. Listen to their experiences and ask them what would help. Our information can help you understand more about psychosis.
The king of leafy greens, spinach is high in folate. (It's called folic acid when it's used in supplements or to fortify foods.) Folate can help ease symptoms of schizophrenia. Along with spinach, you can find it in black-eyed peas, asparagus, and beef liver.
Schizophrenia usually involves delusions (false beliefs), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that don't exist), unusual physical behavior, and disorganized thinking and speech. It is common for people with schizophrenia to have paranoid thoughts or hear voices.
Studies have shown that around 8% of people with schizophrenia will exhibit unusual overt sexual behaviour such as inappropriate sexual advances, disrobing or masturbating in public15.
Many individuals with schizophrenia are unaware of the symptoms and consequences of their illness. Unawareness of schizophrenia is linked to poorer adherence to treatment and is a risk factor for a range of poorer outcomes.
Loss of interest in activities and other things. Mood swings and outbursts. Emotional numbness. Significant changes in daily patterns, such as sleep, appetite and eating, or self-care.
Past studies have reported that offspring of affected mothers have a higher risk of schizophrenia than the offspring of affected fathers; however, other studies found no such maternal effect [Gottesman and Shields, 1976].
Left untreated, schizophrenia can result in severe problems that affect every area of life. Complications that schizophrenia may cause or be associated with include: Suicide, suicide attempts and thoughts of suicide. Anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder that may wax and wane in severity, but it does not typically worsen with age. 1 For some people, the symptoms of schizophrenia will improve over time while for others the symptoms will stay the same or get worse.
What is the main drug used to treat schizophrenia?
Haloperidol, fluphenazine, and chlorpromazine are known as conventional, or typical, antipsychotics and have been used to treat schizophrenia for years.
Research long ago concluded that schizophrenia was in some ways passed down genetically. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health found that having a relative diagnosed with schizophrenia can raise your chance of being diagnosed with schizophrenia by 10 percent.
